A variety of semiconductor applications make use of signal amplification by mechanisms such as impact ionization. Examples of these devices include, but are not limited to, transistors and photodiodes. However, the impact ionization mechanism is associated with low power efficiencies, and noise levels that increase with amplification. Further, the noise levels of these devices can limit the scalability of the devices. As a result, there is a need for semiconductor applications that make use of signal amplification with one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of: reduced noise levels, increased power efficiency, and scalability.